Definitions: Parts of a Database Record

A database will provide a list of results for a search. A link for a given article will typically provide the full view of its database record and include the following information:

Name of Database: the brand name of an information source; it often includes the name of the company that owns or offers the service.

Citation: information about a document that usually includes its author, title of work, publisher, and year published. The information found in a citation is used by others to locate the document. This if frequently referred to as bibliographic information.

Abstract: a summary of the main points of a document which includes its focus, research methods, and conclusions.

Full Text: this link indicates that direct, full access to a document is available.

Link Resolver: a tool that uses information in a database record to find related records and to provide links for the user. It generally leads users to another source that may provide full access to a complete document. The effectiveness of these tools depends on if access can be provided through another information source to which the library has access.

Subject: the words used by a database to describe the main topics of a document.

Controlled Vocabulary: an established set of terms used to describe the main subjects covered in a document. They are often used to identify documents on similar topics.

Additional Information: databases often include specialized metadata to provide more information on a given document, such as the type of publication, affiliation of author, database document numbers, and others.